A Palestinian-American protester martred Friday after reportedly being severely beaten by Israeli settlers near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Witnesses said that Israeli occupation forces were present but did not intervene during the attack.
The incident occurred during a demonstration against the construction of a new, unauthorized outpost in an area where settlement building is prohibited under existing agreements.
The victim was identified as Saif al-Din Musalat, also known as Sayfollah Musallet, a 23-year-old US citizen from Tampa, Florida, according to American investigative outlet Drop Site News.
Another American killed by Israel. Settlers beat him to death. …in the West Bank #mdpolitics https://t.co/Iwxkufzq8V
— Peace Action Montgomery (@PeaceActionMon1) July 11, 2025
Another protester, Muhammad Rizq Hussein Al-Shalabi, was shot in the chest and later succumbed to his injuries, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. At least ten other individuals were wounded. Eyewitnesses described settlers ramming a demonstrator with a vehicle and smashing ambulance windows during the chaos.
Despite the arrival of Israeli occupation forces at the scene, no arrests were made. This aligns with what critics describe as a pattern of impunity for settler violence across the West Bank.
The killing followed questioning by veteran Palestinian-American Journalist Said Arikat, who asked US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce about protections for Palestinian-Americans facing settler attacks. Bruce did not offer a direct contact or mechanism for assistance, instead stating that State Department personnel “care deeply” and advising victims to appeal to the Israeli government, citing ‘Israel’ as an ally. When asked for a specific condemnation of settler violence, Bruce offered only a general statement expressing concern over violence “by any party.”
Source: Agencies (edited and translated by Al-Manar English Website)
